Hawke tells faithful victory is possible

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Former prime minister Bob Hawke says he is confident the ALP can
rebound to victory at the next election.

Mr Hawke told a meeting of National Union of Workers in
Melbourne yesterday he also believed Mark Latham would be
re-elected unopposed as Opposition Leader.

He said with more refined policies and the dexterity to remind
voters of the ALP's "undoubted" economic credentials, Latham was
the leader to take Labor forward.

"Remember that John Howard achieved a swing of 5 per cent in
1996 and if he can do it then we've got to steel ourselves up and
organise to make sure that we do that next time around," he
said.

"Basically there's two things in winning elections: one is
developing and selling your own positive policies and, secondly,
defending yourself against what is perceived to be your weaknesses
and your opponent's strengths; and I think perhaps they didn't
quite have that worked out in this election. I am sure they will in
the period leading up the next one."

"I think they were in the right direction on a lot of them but
they also have to really establish the record of the Labor Party on
economic management," he said.

"There's not an economist in the country that would deny the
proposition that the current strength of the Australian economy
depends upon and reflects the significant restructure that was
undertaken by Labor in the 1980s and we should sell that."

He also reminded unionists of their duty to recruit members.

He also warned unionists to expect difficult times ahead with
the Government proposing to push through its workplace changes.

"If the Prime Minister keeps to what he's been saying about the
legislation in the Senate, then it's going to be a tough time."